Minimum wage increase stalled as negotiations continue

BATON ROUGE - Gov. John Bel Edwards' push to boost Louisiana's minimum wage remains stalled in the Senate as the Democratic governor continues negotiating with lawmakers, trying to win support for the bill.

The proposal to raise the minimum wage to $8.50 an hour, sponsored by New Orleans Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, was scheduled for a Monday hearing in the Senate Finance Committee. But the hearing was scrapped.

Edwards spokesman Richard Carbo says the governor's office asked for a delay. He says the Edwards administration is still having conversations with lawmakers about the bill. A rescheduled hearing date hasn't been set yet.

The proposal narrowly won support in the Senate labor committee, but was sent to the finance committee because it would raise the pay of some state workers, costing the state.